Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

[atf]

I bought this Vox AC15 BRG for about 200 bucks, and sure it's a little banged up, but is this what the top boost channel is suppose to sound like out of a greenback?

All settings are at half, and the master is low cause it's late, but even when I crank it up,it sounds the same, like some sort of maestro fuzz instead of the traditional sound ACs are known for.Are the tubes messed up?

Im using a Gibson SG 1960 reissue with P90s for this sample. Feedback appreciated.

File can be downloaded here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B-sPAp7PIzltWXJDUWZFZm1GYTQ/view?usp=drivesdk

 

[VinceT]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

Sounds about right for the Top Boost channel if they're fairly hot P90s.

I had an AC30 CC2X, and it really didn't like the master being low, but the preamp gain in the top Boost wasn't that enjoyable - e.g. you can hear the bassy "wolf tones" below the fundamental in your clip, as well as fizzy distortion.

Both AC15 and AC30s with master really need the master cranked.

If you do need to keep it really quiet, try rolling off all both bass and treble controls to zero, it'll get about as mid-pushed as it gets for AC amps - and it'll lose some of the fizz you hear in your clip.

Bottom line: it doesn't sound like the amp/tubes is faulty, but you do have to learn how to work the gain/EQ on AC amps (I would encourage you to persevere, the journey is worth it!)

Ps: when I spec'd my custom amp from Whitney Amps, my exact quote was " All I want is a decent AC15 with an inbuilt boost" - of course, Mike gave me much, much more, but it certainly fulfills the brief.


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[atf]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

Sounds about right for the Top Boost channel if they're fairly hot P90s.

I had an AC30 CC2X, and it really didn't like the master being low, but the preamp gain in the top Boost wasn't that enjoyable - e.g. you can hear the bassy "wolf tones" below the fundamental in your clip, as well as fizzy distortion.

Both AC15 and AC30s with master really need the master cranked.

If you do need to keep it really quiet, try rolling off all both bass and treble controls to zero, it'll get about as mid-pushed as it gets for AC amps - and it'll lose some of the fizz you hear in your clip.

Bottom line: it doesn't sound like the amp/tubes is faulty, but you do have to learn how to work the gain/EQ on AC amps (I would encourage you to persevere, the journey is worth it!)

Ps: when I spec'd my custom amp from Whitney Amps, my exact quote was " All I want is a decent AC15 with an inbuilt boost" - of course, Mike gave me much, much more, but it certainly fulfills the brief.


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Thanks Vince T, appreciate it.

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[VinceT]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

No problem. One of the mods Mike Whitney suggested on my custom amp was to introduce a mid control to the standard Baxendall EQ from the AC (we also swapped the Treble Cut for a Presence control) - those two mods make it such a versatile tone stack.


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[VinceT]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

But that's my amp... back on subject, read this thread and try the settings suggested.

https://www.thegearpage.net/board/index.php?threads/ac30-tone-controls.1330135/

Also, the bright cap mod they suggest worked really well for me with the AC30 - don't know if it's appropriate for the AC15 BRG, but you might want to search it up.


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[shupe13]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

Just fiddle with the volumes to include the guitar's.


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[atf]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

Just fiddle with the volumes to include the guitar's.


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Looking good there

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[jeremy]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

i would think the cut control would be a big asset, crank that thing up to kill the fizz

 

[Progbusters]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

pickups too high or back down volume of guitar. And then more clean (master) and less gain (top boost volume). And louder is better.

 

[VinceT]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

i would think the cut control would be a big asset, crank that thing up to kill the fizz

Not quite. The fizz comes from pushing the preamp tubes too hard. The Cut is post phase inverter, so it's really for dampening down the slicing treble that comes through. If the preamp tubes are pushing to fizz, it'll still be fizzy after the Cut.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

i knew the cut was at the end but im surprised it doesnt tame some of the fizz

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

I had than exact aMP you are very lucky to have got that in the real hard to find British Racing Green. Change the speaker to a Celestion ..it won't help much, it'll sound better, but that little bugger just will not get much of a full range sound, trust me.

 

[atf]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

I had than exact aMP you are very lucky to have got that in the real hard to find British Racing Green. Change the speaker to a Celestion ..it won't help much, it'll sound better, but that little bugger just will not get much of a full range sound, trust me.

Right now it's a greenback stock.Maybe down the line, after changing the tubes from stock to JJ and a speaker swap to a celestion v type (one of my favorites right now) it will sound more open, richer, and fuller(in theory)

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[VinceT]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

Right now it's a greenback stock.Maybe down the line, after changing the tubes from stock to JJ and a speaker swap to a celestion v type (one of my favorites right now) it will sound more open, richer, and fuller(in theory)

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I hadn't picked up on speaker. Celestine Blue all the way for this tone. Actually, I'd go one further and look at the Eminence Red Fang Alnico - I have one in my Whitney.

http://www.eminence.com/speakers/speaker-detail/?model=Red_Fang

And +100 to a tube swap. I did JJs throughout my AC30 - night and day over the stock tubes.


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[VinceT]

Re: Vox AC15 Top Boost Query

i knew the cut was at the end but im surprised it doesnt tame some of the fizz

It just stops the fizz setting your teeth on edge so much [emoji1]


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